Of The Night
by Raziah Surya
Summary: What happens when an American student, who has a conection with Malfoy, comes to Hogwarts? Will things take a turn for the better or hit an all-time low? Plus, shrieks of terror can be heard at night. Who is making them & why? (W.I.P.)
1. Something Unexpected

Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked on contentedly as they watched the new first years come into the Great Hall. They were at their usual seats at the Gryffindor table. Fred and George, in their seventh year, were across from them.  
  
"It's a shame we don't really know any of the new first years," Hermione stated.  
  
"Yeah, but that means we won't have to worry about looking out for anyone but ourselves this year."  
  
"Ronald Weasely! What do you mean by that?" Hermione asked appalled.  
  
"Well, every year something's happened and this year we won't have to worry about watching over someone who can't handle things themselves," he explained.  
  
"You could have worded it better," scoffed Hermione.  
  
"Shush up, will 'ya!" Fred hissed. "The sorting's about to start."  
  
"Big deal," Ron said under his breath, but it was a big deal. Everyone thought it was a very big deal.  
  
When the sorting was done, there were twelve new Gryffindors. Professor Dumbledore stood to make his usual speech after all the first years were seated.  
  
"I'm afraid this year's welcome will be longer than usual." A few, very hungry, people moaned. "First of all, we'd like to welcome all the first years to Hogwarts." The room was filled with clapping.  
  
"Secondly," he continued raising his hands for silence, which he received, "we have a very special new student. She is here from America to further her schooling. I'm sure if you ask her she could explain all about it.  
  
"Even though she is old enough to be a sixth year, she will be taking fifth year classes, for the most part. Now, would you all warmly welcome Miss Kathryn Malfoy."  
  
"MALFOY!" Fred and George exclaimed together as a thunderous applause came from the Slytherin table.  
  
"Great!" said Harry. "Just what we need, another Malfoy."  
  
A tall, slender girl came through the doors to the entrance hall and walked briskly up to the head table. She turned and faced the rest of the school. She was thin and pale like Draco, but her hair was raven black.  
  
"I know we will all make Kathryn feel like she is right at home here," Dumbledore continued. "The only real question is which house will she be in?"  
  
Professor McGonagall brought the sorting hat over and placed it on Kathryn's head.  
  
"We all know she'll be in Slytherin, so why don't they just put her there and let us eat?" Ron asked.  
  
The hat was silent for several minutes. Then, it began to mumble to itself.  
  
"What's taking so long?" asked Ron.  
  
"How the heck should I know?" Harry snapped.  
  
"Well, fine. You don't have to be so pushy about it."  
  
It was odd. No one seamed to know why it was taking so long. Then the hat, out of nowhere, shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"  
  
Roars and shouts of abjections flew up from the Slytherin and Gryffindor tables. Dumb shock has silenced Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw.  
  
The girl muttered something and she hat shouted, "I don't care if you think you belong in Slytherin! I said GRYFFINDOR!"  
  
Professors Snape and McGonagall were at Dumbledore's side. "There must be some mistake, Albus," McGonagall was saying.  
  
"I agree," voiced Snape. "She clearly belongs in Slytherin!"  
  
"Professors," Dumbledore said calmly, "the hat has placed her in Gryffindor and in Gryffindor she will stay." He addressed a hurt looking Kathryn. "My dear, please take a seat at the Gryffindor house table."  
  
Kathryn removed the Sorting Hat and walked over to the Gryffindor table. There was a seat at the very front and all the first years scooted their chairs away from it. Even they knew of the Malfoys. Kathryn gave Draco a look that said she was sorry.  
  
"How could a Malfoy be in Gryffindor?" Ron objected. Dumbledore spoke before Harry could answer.  
  
"I know the Gryffindors will make her feel welcome. Now, let's eat!" Everyone turned their attention to the food that appeared in front of them.  
  
Harry was just about to start on the plate he'd loaded with food, when he noticed Kathryn hadn't touched anything. He glanced at an empty seat across from him, next to George. Without a word, and against his better judgment, he stood up.  
  
"Where are you going?" puzzled Hermione.  
  
"To make a Gryffindor feel welcome."  
  
Ron objected. "Are you crazy? She's a Malfoy! She wanted to be in Slytherin!"  
  
"She's a Gryffindor and she could be nothing like Draco" Harry answered even though he doubted it. He walked to the front of the table, all eyes watched closely.  
  
"Hello," Harry said to Kathryn. She had been staring blankly at her plate and now turned in her seat to look him over.  
  
"Hi." She was definitely foreign. Her voice gave it away.  
  
"Would you like to come sit with us, the other fifth years and me?" She glanced over at the Slytherin table.  
  
"I better not. I don't really feel like getting o their bad side. I think I already may be."  
  
"Understandable. Well, if you change your mind, we're down near the end."  
  
"Thanks, but no thanks anyway." She turned back to her empty plate. Harry sighed and walked back to his seat.  
  
"What did you find out?" Ron asked curiously.  
  
"I didn't go over there to find anything out. I invited her to sit with us," Harry said as he sat down.  
  
"You what!"  
  
"Don't worry, she won't come over."  
  
"It's because she's a Malfoy," Hermion said matter-of-factly.  
  
"She just doesn't want to make the Slytherins any angrier at her," explained Harry.  
  
"No, she just doesn't want to sit with us," Ron stated. "Serves her right. She's a Malfoy. She should eat alone. She's probably a snob anyway."  
  
Somehow, Harry didn't think anything Ron said was right. He glanced back down towards Kathryn. Her plate was still empty. 


	2. The New Girl

When the Prefects led the first years out of the Hall, Kathryn was among them. Draco caught up to her and whispered something that made her laugh. Draco looked offended. Then she said something that made him smile slyly.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Back in the Gryffindor common room, Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat in their usual corner.  
  
"She's in my dorm room this year," Hermione was complaining. "Why can't she room with the sixth years?"  
  
"Well, you could always find out something embarrassing about her and blackmail the entire Malfoy family," Fred suggested as he and George came over.  
  
"Yeah, but that requires actually watching her," George pointed out.  
  
"She's not that bad," defended Harry, not knowing why, "at least not yet."  
  
"Yet being the key word," Ron grumbled.  
  
Hermione sighed. "She's going to make this year miserable."  
  
"Let's just give her the benefit of the doubt for now," suggested Harry.  
  
"Harry Potter, I'm surprised at you," scolded Hermione. "To think you would be supporting a Malfoy."  
  
"Yeah, you feeling okay?" George asked putting his hand on Harry's forehead. Harry shook him off and gave up his argument. Why was he defending a Malfoy anyway?  
  
"So where's the dark lady now?" Fred asked looking around the room. "I don't see her anywhere."  
  
"In the dorm. The curtains are drawn around her bed, but there's a light coming from inside," said Hermione.  
  
"She's probably coming up with some sort of hex," Ron scoffed.  
  
"Actually," came a sharp, clear voice, "I was writing a letter to my parents." They all turned to see Kathryn standing a few feet away.  
  
"Uh-hunh," Ron voiced skeptically. "If you were just writing an innocent letter, then why weren't you out here writing it?"  
  
"I never said it was innocent." They looked at her in fright. "I'm joking!" she giggled. "I would write it out here, but you people aren't exactly friendly," she gave them a mock smile.  
  
"Well, what about Harry?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Yeah," agreed Fred," Harry invited you to sit with them."  
  
"He's a Potter, I would expect nothing less of him, but speaking about you guys in general. Besides, if I eat with you guys my cousin would think me a traitor."  
  
"He's you're cousin!" they chorused.  
  
"Yeah, how'd you think we were related?"  
  
"We thought you were an older sister," answered Ron.  
  
"Hell No! Thank God we're just cousins! He's a spoiled brat that can't stand up for himself. He really is a disgrace to the family." They couldn't believe what they were hearing! Draco's own family was mocking him! "Just don't tell him I said any of this or I could very well be in for it. In addition, I would make your lives miserable, not just at Hogwarts, but all of it."  
  
"Is that a threat?" George asked getting annoyed with her tone.  
  
"Does it sound like one?"  
  
"You talk funny."  
  
Kathryn imitated a bad British accent, "You don't talk any better." Everyone except George and Kathryn cracked up. Kathryn wore a smug smile and George was red with embarrassment. "What's the matter, Weasely? Your face matches your hair."  
  
Fred tried to explain his brother's behavior, but couldn't because he was laughing too hard.  
  
"You two are so used to being the practical jokers, you can't handle it when someone chooses you as the joke."  
  
"No, normally we laugh right along with it, we just aren't used to Americans," Fred said now that the laughter had died down.  
  
"Well, don't get used to me. Other than class we probably won't see much of each other."  
  
"But I thought you were taking fifth year classes," Hermione pointed out.  
  
"What a bright girl!" Kathryn said sarcastically. Hermione blushed. "I'm in the seventh year Transfiguration class. I should be out of Transfiguration and have a private Tudor, but I left the school in America before the year was over."  
  
"You got kicked out," voiced Ron.  
  
"No, I mean I left. My uncle doesn't think the school is good for anything other than Transfiguration. So, he insisted I be taken out and tutored for the remainder of the last year. My parents agreed.  
  
"If I'd stayed I would be out of Transfiguration all together and have a private Tudor, as I said before."  
  
"So you're a Transfiguration mastermind," George smiled.  
  
"Basically."  
  
"What can you do?"  
  
"I could change you into a dog, but you'd be stuck like that until I figure out how to change people back into people."  
  
"You did that to someone!"  
  
"Only my professor who can change himself back if need-be. I guess he likes being a dog because last I heard he was being pampered by some rich muggle family."  
  
"How do you know he can change back?" asked Hermione.  
  
"Because he has. He just can't change himself back into a dog. He's normally a bird."  
  
"This is one of your American professors?" Ron asked.  
  
"Yep! He really is a strange individual."  
  
"George is right," Ron said. "You do talk funny."  
  
"You're a nice kid, don't make me hurt you."  
  
"Wait," said Harry. "I've never heard of an American Wizarding School."  
  
"Not many have," Kathryn said. "There is only one and like Hogwarts, it's out in the middle of nowhere. I don't think anyone living knows the exact location of it."  
  
"What's it called?" Ron asked.  
  
"Westminstor School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."  
  
"Does it have houses like Hogwarts?" asked Hermione, now a little interested.  
  
"You know, I would love to tell you all about it this very minute, but I have a conference with some of the teachers before breakfast. I'm going to bed." She turned and walked off towards the girls' dorms.  
  
The group didn't speak until she was out of sight. "She does seem a bit snobby," Hermione observed.  
  
"Kind of like you," Ron teased.  
  
"How bad do you think she wants to be in Slytherin?" asked Harry.  
  
"Well, she'll be able to see them plenty. We have Potions and Charms with them this year," declared Hermione.  
  
"Well, I think we should get to bed. We have Potions right after breakfast," suggested Harry. The group said good night to each other and went to their dorms. 


	3. Screams in the night

Harry awoke with a start. Something was wrong, his scar hurt. Not as much as it had the previous year, but it was a little sore. Was it a noise that had woken him? Yes, there it was again! He strained to hear it better. It was barely audible, but Harry could definitely tell it was a scream. It was icy cold and made him shiver just thinking about it.  
  
"Harry!" he heard a sharp whisper. Harry stuck his head out the curtain around his bed and saw Ron doing the same. "Harry, do you hear it?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"I think it's someone screaming."  
  
"Where's it coming from?"  
  
"I don't know. It sounds like it's really far away. Let's go see."  
  
"I don't think that's such a good idea. What if we find whoever it is?"  
  
"Then I guess we'll know what it is. Come on." He climbed out of bed and grabbed his wand.  
  
"Alright, but if we get caught I'm blaming it all on you!" Ron said getting out of bed. He too picked up his wand and joined Harry at the door. Together they entered the common room. They were about halfway across when they heard a voice.  
  
"What are you two doing out of bed?" They jumped, surprised by it. Then, they noticed it was only Hermione.  
  
"What are you doing out of bed?" Ron asked accusingly.  
  
"I heard something coming from the school," she said defending herself.  
  
"We did too," commented Harry. A sudden, earsplitting scream rang throughout all of Hogwarts, waking the entire school and causing the common room to be almost instantly filled with terrified and confused students.  
  
"What's going on?" Fred asked seeing the three in the center of the room.  
  
"We don't know!" said Hermione as she started to panic. Professor McGonagall joined them in the bustling room.  
  
"Calm down everyone, calm down!"  
  
"What's all the noise about?" Kathryn asked with a yawn. She had just entered the common room.  
  
"What do you think is going on?" George asked. "We're all scared out of our skins, that's what's going on!"  
  
"Now, Mr. Weasley," McGonagall scolded, "be like everyone else for once and calm down!"  
  
"Why's everyone out here professor?" Kathryn questioned.  
  
"You mean you didn't hear it?" Hermione asked with a puzzled look.  
  
"Hear what?"  
  
"The scream!" the entire house chorused.  
  
"Someone screamed," Kathryn said laxidazily, thinking why she'd woken up for that.  
  
"You act funny too," George declared.  
  
"I act funny? You people are the one's out here in the middle of the night acting as if the world were coming to an end because someone screamed. If anyone acts funny it's you guys."  
  
"Now that's enough of that!" McGonagall ordered. "Everyone back to bed! Trust the professors to handle this matter."  
  
Kathryn was the first to return to her room, everyone else was reluctant. 


	4. Screams & Silence

Harry lay awake in bed that night, listening to the screams. They had started again. All the other Gryffindors were huddled together in the Common Room. The professors were searching the school, but they couldn't find the source of the screams since they seemed to come from everywhere.  
  
Harry listened and thought about them. "What could they mean? Who was making them?" An extremely loud scream filled his ears with a ringing. That was it! He couldn't take it anymore! He got up and went down to the Common Room.  
  
He found Ron, Hermione, Neval, Lee Jordan, and the Twins in their usual corner. When they saw him, they stood.  
  
"Where've you been?" Lee asked.  
  
"Just thinking."  
  
"And you could actually hear yourself with all this noise?" George asked. Harry glanced around the room at the other students.  
  
"Where's Kathryn?" he asked.  
  
"She's asleep. She's been asleep since before the screams started up again," Hermione informed.  
  
"Asleep? How's that possible?" asked Ron.  
  
"I don't know. It's against all reasoning," answered Hermione.  
  
"Are the teachers still searching the school?" Harry wondered aloud.  
  
"As far as we know they are," Fred replied.  
  
"Harry," Neval stated, "the Slytherins think you have something to do with this. Do you? If you do, then make it stop."  
  
"Neval, if I could make it stop I would. I have nothing to do with all of this and I don't think any student or professor does."  
  
"What do you think it is?" Hermione asked the group.  
  
"It's probably just some new poltergeist," said Lee.  
  
"What if it's something new altogether and the professors don't know how to handle it?" Ron spoke.  
  
"Not possible," stated Hermione. "Someone has got to know something about it. I bet the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor knows what it is." The new professor Hermione spoke of was a witch who had been all over the world studying the Dark arts. She seemed to know more than Snape could.  
  
Another scream rang in their ears, and then all was quiet. Professor McGonagall entered the Common Room.  
  
"That will be the end of the screams for tonight. All of you back to bed."  
  
"What if they start again?" a first year asked.  
  
"Then we'll deal with that if it happens. We professors have noticed a pattern in the screams and have concluded that they are over for this evening. Now, back to bed." The students went back to their rooms to get what sleep they could.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
"I heard it was Potter screaming for his mum," Draco laughed.  
  
"I heard it was Draco screaming because he dreamed he lost his balls," Ron retorted.  
  
They were passing each other in the halls. Hermione rolled her eyes at the two, and Kathryn glanced back at Harry. She was walking with Draco and his friends.  
  
"Why can't you just ignore him?" Hermione asked Ron. "Harry does."  
  
"That's only cause I'm here to shoot back for him. Isn't that right, Harry?"  
  
"Uh-huh, sure."  
  
"Harry, you paying attention?" Ron asked skeptically.  
  
"Uh-huh, sure."  
  
"No you're not! Malfoy just insulted you and you didn't even hear it!"  
  
"Malfoy? Hang on!"  
  
Hermione was startled. "What is it?"  
  
"I think I just figured something out. Go on to class. I have to speak with Professor Dumbledore." With that statement, Harry took off running toward Dumbledore's office.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
"Mr. Potter, where on earth are you going?" It was the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.  
  
"I need to speak to Dumbledore right away! It's urgent!"  
  
"Urgent enough for you to miss my class?"  
  
"Yes ma'am."  
  
"Well then, hurry it up."  
  
"Thank you Professor." Harry started running again and the new professor smiled in amusement.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Harry sat in a chair facing Dumbledore. "Now, Mr. Potter, what was it you needed to see me about?"  
  
"The screams, sir, and a student."  
  
"Ah, everyone is wondering about the screams. What is it?"  
  
"How is it Kathryn Malfoy can sleep through them?"  
  
"She sleeps through them?"  
  
"Yes. The first time we heard them, she was the last to awaken. Last night, she was asleep at dinner and didn't wake until everyone was already in the Entrance Hall. Then, she slept through them again last night. How does she do it?"  
  
"I'm not sure, Harry, but thank you for bringing it to my attention." A new interest seemed to spark in Dumbledore's eyes. "I would like it if you did not tell what you have just told me to anyone else, not even Mr. Weasely and Miss Granger."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"I do believe you have a class to get to, do you not?"  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
When Harry got back to class, they had started. Kathryn was beating Hermione to all the answers and Hermione looked quite aggravated.  
  
"She's not used to being second best," Ron explained when Harry joined them.  
  
"Is there anything she can't do well?" Hermione said more to herself. Kathryn turned in her seat.  
  
"I can't play quiditch. Never was very into the game. Besides, it's not very popular in America."  
  
"How can you not be interested in quiditch?" Ron said in disbelief.  
  
"I don't know. I'm just not."  
  
"If you will please return your attention to the lesson," the professor commented. "Ah, Mr. Potter, nice of you to join us. I am professor Rennsinn." Harry nodded his reply. "As I was saying, the only way to vanquish a demon is with a specific spell."  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
That night, everyone slept. There were no screams of terror, not even a sound could be heard. All was quiet.  
  
"I don't get it," Ron whispered to Harry.  
  
"Neither do I."  
  
"Do you think they've stopped for good?"  
  
"It's hard to say. I don't really think they have. I think it's just for tonight."  
  
"What do you suppose it is?"  
  
"It always sounds human. I don't think anything else could scream like that."  
  
"I think Hermione needs to get a move on and start looking in the library for something like this."  
  
"Honestly, Ron, do you think she'll find anything about screams of terror in a book in the library?"  
  
"Well, not really, but she's always looking for something."  
  
"Yes, it is about time she started looking. I guess we don't have to know any first years to have to get someone out of trouble, huh?"  
  
"I don't think it's anyone in the school. We were all at dinner that one night."  
  
"Yes, I know. I'm tired now and this will most likely be one of our only nights for sleep. You and I both know we need it!"  
  
"It seams a little creepy not to hear the screams while we sleep. It's almost as if something were wrong if we don't hear them."  
  
"I agree, but what we really need right now is some undisturbed sleep."  
  
With that last comment, Harry and Ron drifted off into a sound slumber. 


End file.
